Rod supporting device and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A rod supporting device is provided and comprises a body or sheet (12) extended in length and at least two supporting components (14, 15) located along the length of the sheet and arranged to project, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of the body. The device further comprises at least one fixing component (16) located along the length of the sheet and arranged to project, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of the sheet. The at least two supporting components (14, 15) are configured for supporting, in use, a rod for fencings and the at least one fixing component (16) is configured to be fixed to a formwork and limit the height of the rod as to the formwork. A method for manufacturing the rod supporting device (10) is provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, in general, to a rod supporting device and to a manufacturing method thereof.

In particular, the present invention relates to a rod supporting device to be used on a building site or equivalent site.

BACKGROUND ART

Methods are known for positioning various types of fencings on building sites by fixing them to a formwork or a concrete base.

Currently, the methods currently used in the market and/or in a traditional building site require demanding and cumbersome work for correctly positioning the fencings. The main method provides for the realization of bases for rods by way of holes of circular diameter, usually obtained by way of recycled material (plastic bottles) in the casting of the concrete wall, wherein the rods are then housed. The obtained result is inaccurate and must often be later remodeled to adapt the bases to the size of the rods.

A second, more recent method provides for installing the rods on a wall already built, by way of fixing plates incorporated or fixed to the base of the rods; however, the obtained result is not very rigid and not very precise, because the rods tend to flex as to the base both during and subsequently to the installation.

Applicant has, in general, noted that the known art does not propose effective solutions for the installation of rods and/or fencings.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is thus to considerably simplify the installation operations of fencings or equivalent components with consequent savings both in economic terms, due to the substantial reduction in labour costs, and in terms of time, thanks to particularly reduced installation times.

The invention is defined by the attached claims that as well as the description and the drawings are an integral part of the technical teaching provided herein about the invention.

The rod supporting device, object of the present invention, is specifically designed to facilitate the installation operations of vertical rods for fixing, for example, a metal mesh, to be used as a fencing, with the object of speeding up and making more practical the installation operations in a building site.

According to a feature of the present invention, the rod supporting device is versatile and of universal use because it is adaptable to various rod shapes on the market. According to another feature of the present invention, the rod supporting device can be reused after the installation of the rods, necessary for the construction of a fencing, has been completed.

According to yet another feature of the present invention, the rod supporting device allows to streamline the installation of the rods as it is applicable and removable very quickly from a formwork arranged for the construction of fencings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the attached drawings, wherein components designated by same or similar reference numerals indicate components having same or similar functionality and construction and wherein:

FIG. 1 a schematically shows, in an axonometric view, an example of installation of a rod support according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 1 b schematically shows, in an axonometric view, an example of installation of a rod support according to a second embodiment;

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b show the rod support shown in FIG. 1 a as obtained from a metal sheet of certain dimensions in a front and side view, respectively;

FIG. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d show, in a top view and in a side view, examples of components provided in the rod support shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 4 a, 4 b, 4 c show, in a top view, examples of use of a supporting component shown in FIG. 3 a applied to rods of various types;

FIG. 5 a, 5 b show the rod support shown in FIG. 1 b as obtained by way of molding a plastic material such as polypropylene, in a front and side view, respectively;

FIG. 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d show, in a top view and in a side view, examples of components provided in the rod support shown in FIG. 1 b ; and

FIG. 7 a, 7 b, 7 c show, in a top view, examples of use of supporting component shown in FIG. 6 a , applied to rods of various types.

Within this description it is provided that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that terms such as: upper, lower, longitudinal, orthogonal, lateral, above, below, etc. are used in their conventional meaning unless otherwise suggested.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 a, 2 a, 2 b a rod-supporting element or device 10 is manufactured, according to a first embodiment, by processing a sheet 12, for example a metal sheet with a thickness of few millimeters, which is laser cut by way of a numerically controlled machine, and subsequently folded along the sides to form a parallelepiped structure, which advantageously makes it more rigid.

The sheet or body 12 of the device comprises, preferably manufactured by way of laser-cutting, first components (fixing components) 16 provided for resting and being fixed to a formwork 21 of a concrete wall and second components (supporting components), 14 and 15, arranged for placing and fastening a rod 20 to the same supporting components, 14 and 15.

To make the rod supporting device 10 absolutely versatile and adaptable to any situation, the second components, 14 and 15, comprise slots 41 arranged to adapt the rod supporting components, by way of extension components 43, to walls made of any possible section; in this way the second components are able to adjust the position of the rod on any section of the concrete wall.

In particular, these second components, 14 and 15, are arranged to be respectively connected to extensions or extension components 43 that can be each time different and arranged to adapt the second components to different types of rods available on the market and to different concrete wall sections.

The rod supporting device 10, according to the first embodiment, is preferably made starting by processing a sheet 12, for example a metal sheet, extended in length and having a predetermined length, for example, preferably a length comprised among 100 and 200 cm, and even more preferably, of about 150 cm.

Preferably, the width of the device is among 50-150 mm, and even more preferably it is about 80 mm.

The sheet or body 12 preferably comprises at least two supporting components 14 and 15, preferably identical, configured to support the rod 20, and at least one fixing or fastening component 16, configured to rest and be fixed, in use, to a formwork 21, for example to a formwork made of wood for casting a concrete wall, and/or to place the rod on the formwork and adjust the height of the rod as to the formwork.

The fixing component 16 is however positioned at a certain distance from the lower end of the body and below the two supporting components.

Preferably, according to the first embodiment, the profile of the supporting components, 14 and 15, and of the fixing component 16 are obtained by engraving, for example by laser, the sheet 12 and are arranged, in use, to protrude from the sheet 12, in a substantially horizontal direction.

Even more preferably, the sheet 12 is folded in a “U” shape in the longitudinal direction, so as to make the sheet, in use, more rigid.

According to the first embodiment, the supporting components, 14 and 15 (FIG. 3 a ), comprise a supporting component body 49 with a substantially rectangular external profile, are preferably obtained from the sheet 12 and, in use, are hooked or hinged to the sheet 12 by way of a hooking zone 40, for example a horizontal zone, so that, in use, they can protrude horizontally from the sheet 12, by pivoting the component body around the hooking zone.

The supporting components 14 and 15 are spaced each other so as to allow easy leveling of the rod 20; for example, they are spaced at a distance of among 40 and 100 cm.

Even more preferably, the at least two supporting components, 14 and 15, have identical supporting bodies 49, whereby only one component is described here, assuming that the other component or any other supporting component comprises the same parts.

According to the first embodiment, the supporting body 49 of the supporting component, 14 or 15, comprises, at a distal end from the hooking area 40, a half-slot 46 configured to house, for example, one of the arms of a rod with a “T” section (FIG. 1 a, 4 b ).

Even more preferably, the supporting body 49 of the supporting component, 14 or 15, comprises, at one end distal from the hooking zone 40, a flaring 45 configured to easily house a rod, for example with a circular section (FIGS. 3 a and 4 a ).

Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the supporting body 49 of the supporting component, 14 or 15, comprises, for example in a barycentric zone of the body, a slot 41 (FIG. 3 a, 4 a, 4 b, 4 c ) with rounded ends.

The slot 41 is provided to allow to connect, by way of a bolt or other coupling components 42, a possible extension component 43 (FIG. 3 c, 3 d ) to the supporting components, 14 or 15.

The extension component 43, if present, allows, in use, to rest the rod 20 on the supporting component, 14 or 15, in a variable position as desired, in the event that the formwork 21 has a cross section comprising dimensions greater than the values that can be managed directly by the rod supporting device 10.

Preferably, the extension 43 comprises an extension body 59 of substantially rectangular profile with dimensions varying in length, for example among 8-20 cm, and a thickness of a few millimeters, for example among 3-10 mm, and a width substantially identical to that of the rod supporting device 10.

The body 59 of the extension 43 comprises a slot 51 configured to allow the connection of the extension 43 to the slot 41 of the supporting component, 14 or 15, by way of the bolt 42.

Even more preferably, the body 59 of the extension 43 comprises, to at least one distal end in length, a half-slot 56 and a flaring 55 configured to support, respectively, a rod with a “T” section, a rod with a circular section or a rod with a quadrangular section.

According to variants of the first embodiment, the slot 41 of the supporting component, 14 or 15, and the slot 51 of the extension 43 may not be barycentric with respect to the substantially rectangular profile, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.

According to further variants, both the supporting components, 14 or 15, and the extensions 43 may alternatively comprise, at their distal end, either the half-slot or the flaring or simply a straight side without the half-slot and without the flaring.

According to the first embodiment, the fixing component 16 (FIG. 3 b ) comprises a body 69 with a substantially rectangular profile, is obtained by laser, preferably, from the sheet 12 and, in use, is hooked or hinged to the sheet 12 by way of a hooking zone 60, for example a horizontal zone, so that, in use, it can protrude horizontally from the sheet 12, by rotation the fixing component around the hooking area 60. According to the first embodiment, the body 69 of the fixing component 16 comprises two holes 61, for example two holes near the lateral edges of the external surface, configured to fix the rod supporting device 10 to the formwork 21 by way of screws or nails.

As easily understandable by a person skilled in the art, the holes 61 may be absent or less or more than two, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.

According to possible variants of the rod supporting device 10, one or more holes configured to fix the rod supporting device 10 to the formwork 21 by way of screws or nails are comprised in an area below the fixing component 16.

With reference to FIGS. 1 b, 5 a, 5 b , a rod supporting device 10 b, according to a second embodiment, is made of plastic by molding, for example it is made of a material such as polypropylene or any other moldable plastic material.

The device 10 b comprises a body 12 b extended in length, whereof the length is preferably among 70-150 cm, and even more preferably about 90 cm.

The width of the device 10 b substantially corresponds to that of the device 10 already disclosed, while the thickness “s” is for example between 6-10 mm and, even more preferably, is about 7 mm.

The device 10 b comprises at least two supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, preferably identical, configured to support the rod 20, and at least one fixing component 16 b, configured to rest and be fixed or fastened, in use, to a formwork 21, for examples to a wooden formwork, arranged for casting a concrete wall. Preferably, according to the second embodiment, the profile of the supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, and of the fixing component 16 b are obtained directly by molding.

In particular, the supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, protrude from the body 12 b and form a supporting component body 49 b, which, in a side view as evident from FIG. 5 b , forms an “L” profile 47 comprising a base of the “L” 47 b in a distal position as to the body 12 b of the device.

Even more in particular, the supporting body 49 b of each of the at least two supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, comprises, in a top view as shown in FIG. 6 a , a substantially rectangular external profile, and is preferably obtained from the body 12 b of the device in the molding step.

Preferably, it is provided that the body 12 b comprises, along the length of the body and for each supporting component 14 b and 15 b, respective body cavities, 34 b and 35 b, provided for an easy molding of the device 10 b.

Preferably, it is also provided that each supporting component, 14 b and 15 b, comprises, near the body 12 b, respective attachment or reinforcement zones, 36 b and 37 b, configured to make the connection to the body 12 b devoid of any fragility. In accordance with this second embodiment, each attachment area, 36 b and 37 b, appears, in the perspective view of FIG. 1 b , as an enlargement, near the body 12 b, capable of increasing the surface of the connection area of each supporting component, 14 b or 15 b, to the body.

The at least two supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, are spaced in an equivalent or proportional manner to what has already been disclosed for the first embodiment so as to allow, in use, an easy leveling of the rod 20.

Even more preferably, the at least two supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, have identical supporting bodies 49 b, whereby only one component is disclosed herein below, assuming that the other component or any other supporting component comprises the same elements.

According to the second embodiment, the supporting body 49 b of the supporting component, 14 b or 15 b, comprises, at a distal end from the attachment zone, 36 b or 37 b, the base of the “L” 47 b.

Preferably the base of the “L” 47 b comprises a flaring 45 b, for example a barycentric and vertically extended flaring, configured to easily house, in use, a rod, for example a rod with a circular section (FIGS. 6 a and 4 a ).

Even more preferably, the base of the “L” 47 b comprises two lateral cavities 48, preferably semicircular cavities, on opposite sides of the base of the “L”, configured to allow to easily fix the rod 20 to the device 10 b, for example by way of bands 23 passing in the lateral cavities 48, as illustrated in FIG. 1 b.

According to the second embodiment, the supporting body 49 b of the supporting components, 14 b and 15 b, may comprise a half-slot configured to house, for example, one of the arms of a rod having a “T” section.

Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the supporting body 49 b of the supporting component, 14 b or 15 b, comprises, for example in a barycentric zone, a slot 41 b (FIG. 6 a, 7 a, 7 b, 7 c ).

The slot 41 b is provided to allow to connect, by way of a bolt or other coupling component 42 b, any type of extension component 43 b (FIG. 6 c, 6 d ) to the support component, 14 b or 15 b.

The extension component or extension 43 b, if present, allows, in use, to place the rod 20 on the extension of the supporting component 14 b, in a variable position as desired, in the event that the formwork 21 has a section larger than that directly manageable by the supporting component 14 b of the rod supporting device 10. Preferably, the extension 43 b, according to the second embodiment, is made of plastic or metal and comprises a substantially rectangular body 59 b comprising dimensions varying in length, for example among 8 and 20 cm, and a thickness of few millimeters, for example comprised among 6-10 mm, and a width substantially identical to that of the rod supporting device 10 b.

The body 59 b of the extension 43 b, similarly to what has been disclosed for the first embodiment, comprises a slot 51 b configured to allow the connection of the extension 43 b to the slot 41 b of the supporting component, 14 b or 15 b, by way of the bolt 42 b.

Even more preferably, the body 59 b of the extension 43 b comprises, to at least one distal end in length, a half-slot 56 b and a flaring 55 b configured to support, respectively, a rod with a “T” section, a rod with a circular section or a rod with quadrangular section.

According to variants of the first and second embodiments, the slot, 41 or 41 b, of the supporting component, 14, 14 b, 15 or 15 b, and the slot, 51 or 51 b, of the extension, 43 or 43 b, may not be barycentric as to the substantially rectangular profile, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.

According to further variants of the first and second embodiments, both the supporting components, 14, 14 b, 15 or 15 b, and the extensions, 43 or 43 b, may alternatively comprise, at their distal end, either the half-slot or the flaring or simply a straight side without the half-slot and without the flaring.

According to the first and second embodiments, the fastening component 16 or 16 b (FIG. 3 b, 6 b ) comprises a body 69 with a substantially rectangular profile.

Preferably, according to the disclosed embodiments, the body 69 of the fixing component, 16 or 16 b, comprises two holes 61, for example near the lateral edges of the external surface, configured to fix the rod supporting device, 10 or 10 b, to the formwork 21 by way of screws or nails.

As easily understandable by a person skilled in the art, the holes 61 may be present or not or be more than two, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.

According to the first embodiment, the fixing component 16 is preferably laser-cut from the sheet 12 and, in use, is hooked or pivoted as to the sheet 12 through a hooking zone 60, for example a horizontal hooking zone, so that, in use, the fixing component may protrude horizontally from the sheet 12, by pivoting the fixing component around the hooking zone 60.

According to the second embodiment, the fixing component 16 b is obtained by molding and is configured so as to protrude horizontally from the sheet 12 b.

In all cases, the fixing component, 16 or 16 b, is in any case positioned at a certain distance from the lower end of the body and below the two supporting components. According to possible variants of the rod supporting device, 10 or 10 b, one or more holes, configured to fix the rod supporting device, 10 or 10 b, to the formwork 21 by way of screws or nails, are comprised in the body, 12 or 12 b, in an area below the fixing component, 16 or 16 b.

The operation of the rod supporting device disclosed up to now, according to both embodiments, is as follows.

The rod is fixed to the supporting component, 14, 14 b, 15 or 15 b, by placing it at the ends, 45, 45 b or 46, of the supporting component; moreover the rod is fixed at the necessary height by way of bands 23, for example by way of flexible plastic bands with rack profile, commonly found on the market (cable bands for electricians); the rod supporting device, 10 or 10 b, is placed on the formwork by way of the fixing component, 16 or 16 b, after leveling it, and fixed to the formwork, for example by screws 62. In this way the rod 20 is housed in an accurate, simple and fast manner and it is possible to proceed to the concrete casting of the wall, thus forming a single rigid structure.

If required, before casting it is possible to proceed even by installing a metal mesh or modular mesh panel on the rod, in order to prepare an entire fencing with a single process, whereby in this way the fencing is immediately ready after disassembly of the rod supporting device, 10 or 10 b, and the dismantling of the formwork.

The rod supporting device, in general, has dimensions and weight that are easy to handle, and can be moved and fixed by a single operator, which can therefore use the device in autonomy; the rod supporting device of the invention is adaptable and can be made of any material, i.e. plastic, wood, iron, aluminum, steel, carbon, etc. according to various possible embodiments.

As indicated above, the device, according to the first embodiment, is preferably made of metal.

As a matter of fact, this embodiment is particularly economical, but it is possible to obtain the same device even with the use of materials that can be processed with numerical control machines.

According to the second embodiment, the device is made by molding a plastic material or other material that can be molded.

In all the embodiments, the device comprises universality features, as it is adaptable to all the forms of rods commonly available on the market.

In addition, the device is recoverable and reusable up to a high level of wear or accidental breakage.

Advantageously, the rod supporting device has the characteristic of being universal because it can be adapted to most of the rods for fencings commonly on the market, thanks to the profile of the supporting components that provide, for example, flared profiles for circular section rods, semi-slot profiles for rods with “T” section and rectilinear profiles for rods with a rectangular or quadrangular section.

Advantageously, the rod supporting device allows to streamline the installation operations of the rods for fencings because it allows to prepare the formwork in a single phase and to dismantle it subsequently with the rods already engaged and leveled, thus speeding up the laying operations, simplifying the procedure and, finally, reducing the waste of “disposable” material necessary with traditional methods.

Of course, obvious changes and/or variations to the above disclosure are possible, as regards dimensions, profiles, shapes and materials, as well as details of the disclosed construction and operation method without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow. 

1. A rod supporting device, comprising: a body extended in length, at least two supporting components obtained along the length of said body and configured to project, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of said body, at least one fixing component located along the length of said body in a position below said at least two supporting components and configured to project, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of said body, said at least two supporting components being configured to support, in use, one rod for fencings, and said at least one fixing component being configured to rest, in use, on a formwork and limit the height of the rod as to the formwork.
 2. The rod supporting device according to claim 1, wherein said body is a metal sheet, said at least two supporting components are obtained by engraving the metal sheet along the length of said sheet and are arranged to protrude, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet, and said at least one fixing component is obtained by engraving the metal sheet along the length of said sheet, is designed to protrude, in use, in a direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet, and is also configured to be fixed, in use, to the formwork that is arranged for the installation of the rod for fencings.
 3. The rod supporting device according to claim 2, wherein said at least two supporting components respectively comprise a supporting body, said supporting body comprising a hooking zone configured to keep said body configured to pivot around the hooking zone as to said sheet, a zone distal from said hooking zone and comprising a profile comprised in the group comprised of a half-slot, a flaring, a straight side.
 4. The rod supporting device according to claim 2, further comprising an extension component, comprising an extension body comprising a substantially rectangular profile and an extension slot inside the extension body, said at least two supporting components further comprising a respective slot, whereby said extension slot is connectable to the respective slot of the at least two supporting components by way of a coupling component, and is configured so as to provide, in use, an extension of the length of said at least two supporting components, on the direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet.
 5. The rod supporting device according to claim 4, wherein said fixing component comprises a body with a substantially rectangular profile comprising, near opposite lateral edges, respective holes configured to fix said fixing component to said formwork.
 6. The rod supporting device according to claim 4, wherein said metal sheet is bent at “U” along the length of said metal sheet.
 7. The rod supporting device according to claim 1, wherein said body said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component are obtained by molding from plastic material, said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component being configured to project in a direction orthogonal to the length of said body.
 8. The rod supporting device according to claim 7, wherein said at least two supporting components comprise an “L” profile, each of said at least two supporting components, comprising a reinforcement zone near said body configured to keep said supporting components hooked in a non-fragile way to said body, two lateral cavities on opposite sides of the base of the “L” profile, in a distal zone from said reinforcement zone, configured to allow fastening the rod to the body of the device by way of bands passing through said two lateral cavities.
 9. The rod supporting device according to claim 7, further comprising an extension component, comprising an extension body with a substantially rectangular profile comprising an extension slot inside the body, said at least two supporting components further comprising a respective slot, whereby said extension slot is connectable to the respective slot of the at least two supporting components by way of a coupling component, and is configured so as to provide, in use, a length extension of said at least two supporting components, on the direction orthogonal to the length of said body.
 10. A method for manufacturing a rod supporting device, comprising the steps of providing a body extended in length, obtaining at least two supporting components spaced apart by a certain distance, obtaining at least one fixing component spaced by a certain distance from said at least two supporting components, providing said at least two supporting components to support, in use, a rod for fencings, and providing said at least one fixing component to be fixed, in use, to a formwork for the installation of the rod for fencings.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step of providing the body extended in length, comprises the step of providing a metal sheet, said step of obtaining at least two supporting components, comprises the step of engraving at least two supporting components so that each of said at least two supporting components comprises a respective hooking zone not engraved in the sheet, and engraving in an area distal from said hooking area a profile comprised in the group comprised of a half-slot, a flaring, a straight side, and said step of obtaining a fixing component comprises the step of engraving said at least one fixing component so that said at least one fixing component comprises a respective hooking area not engraved in the sheet.
 12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step of providing said sheet extended in length, comprises the step of bending said sheet at “U” so as to form a rigid structure in length.
 13. The method according to claim 10, comprising the further step of providing extension components configured to be respectively connected to said at least two supporting components so as to modify the projection of each of said at least two supporting components in a direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet.
 14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said steps of providing said body and obtaining said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component comprises the step of molding from plastic material said body, said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component, said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component being configured so as to protrude in a direction orthogonal to the length of said body.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of molding said body, said at least two supporting components and said at least one fixing component, comprises the steps of obtaining a reinforcement zone near said body and configured to keep said at least two supporting components hooked in a non-fragile way to said body, two lateral cavities in a distal zone from said reinforcement zone and on opposite sides of said at least two supporting components, configured to allow fastening the rod to the body of the device by way of bands passing through said two lateral cavities.
 16. The method according to claim 11, comprising the further step of: providing extension components configured to be respectively connected to said at least two supporting components so as to modify the projection of each of said at least two supporting components in a direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet.
 17. The rod supporting device according to claim 3, further comprising an extension component, comprising: an extension body comprising a substantially rectangular profile and an extension slot inside the extension body; said at least two supporting components further comprising a respective slot; whereby said extension slot is connectable to the respective slot of the at least two supporting components by way of a coupling component, and is configured so as to provide, in use, an extension of the length of said at least two supporting components, on the direction orthogonal to the length of said sheet.
 18. The rod supporting device according to claim 8, further comprising an extension component, comprising an extension body with a substantially rectangular profile comprising an extension slot inside the body, said at least two supporting components further comprising a respective slot, whereby said extension slot is connectable to the respective slot of the at least two supporting components by way of a coupling component, and is configured so as to provide, in use, a length extension of said at least two supporting components, on the direction orthogonal to the length of said body. 